Junction box assembly with T-shaped aligning protrusion
A junction box assembly includes first and second structures, such as upper and lower cases. T-shaped aligning protrusions extend beyond an edge of a sidewall of the second structure and mate with a receiving member contained in the first structure. When the first structure is being aligned with the second structure, chamfers on the T-shaped aligning protrusion may be provided to help start the alignment process before the first and second structures are joined together. This allows for faster and easier assembly of the junction box and helps to reduce the mating forces between the first and second structures.
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This invention relates to a junction box assembly, such as an electrical junction box assembly that mounts on a vehicle or the like.
In various junction box assembly processes, a first casing is mated with a second casing and then locked together. Properly positioning and aligning the first casing to the second casing in order to assemble the junction box can be both difficult and time consuming, especially in the context of an assembly line or the like in which many repetitions of an assembly process are performed.
SUMMARYAs junction box casings increase in size, it becomes even more difficult to position the upper casing with respect to the lower casing for assembly. A conventional junction box has a first casing with a first sidewall edge and a second casing with a second sidewall edge. The second casing is provided with T-shaped ribs to restrict the sidewalls of the first casing and the second casing from separating from each other by deforming. These T-shaped ribs only extend up to the second sidewall edge of the sidewalls of the second casing in the conventional art.
As shown in
Embodiments of this invention increase ease of alignment of the first and second casing by providing T-shaped aligning protrusions at the first and/or second casing of the junction box.
These and other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention are described in or apparent from the following description of embodiments.
Exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals represent like parts, and wherein:
A conventional junction box assembly has a first casing and a second casing. The second casing is provided with T-shaped ribs to prevent sidewalls of the first casing and the second casing from separating from each other by deforming. More specifically, a sidewall of the first casing slides past a sidewall of the second casing, when the first and second casings are engaged with each other, such that an inward-facing surface of the sidewall faces an outward-facing surface of the sidewall. The T-shaped ribs engage with corresponding receiving members formed on the inside surface of the sidewall, and thereby prevent the sidewall from deforming outward and thus becoming separated from the sidewall. Such separation would be undesirable because of the open gap that would be formed between the two sidewalls. Generally, the T-shaped ribs only extend up to the second sidewall edge of the sidewalls of the second casing in the conventional art.
As used in this disclosure, “T-shaped” is not limited to the shape shown in the depicted exemplary embodiments, and encompasses any shape in which a first portion having a relatively large width is attached to a second portion having a relatively smaller width, such as a mushroom shape, a keyhole shape, etc., in addition to more traditional “T” shapes. The small-width portion of the T-shaped member attaches to a first junction box structure (such as a casing), such as at the sidewall or another suitable surface facing substantially perpendicular to a direction of engaging the first junction box structure with a second junction box structure. When the first and second junction box structures are engaged, a receiving member holds the large-width portion of the T-shaped member so that the large-width portion cannot disengage from the receiving member in a direction perpendicular to the direction of engaging the first junction box structure with a second junction box structure.
As shown in
While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, this embodiment should be viewed as illustrative and not limiting. Various changes, substitutes, improvements or the like are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention.
For example, the number of T-shaped aligning protrusions 200 in the second casing is not limited to the three depicted in
As another example, the location of the T-shaped aligning protrusion is not limited. Specifically, the T-shaped aligning protrusion may be located in the first casing 100 and the receiving member may be located in the second casing 200 or the first and second casings could contain both T-shaped aligning protrusions and receiving members. As another example, the T-shaped aligning protrusion could be located on an interior wall or surface of the first or second casing.
Claims
1. A junction box assembly, comprising:
- a first structure with a first sidewall, the first structure having a receiving member; and
- a second structure with a second sidewall, the second structure having a T-shaped aligning protrusion extending beyond an edge of the second sidewall in an engagement direction,
- wherein the receiving member begins to mate with the T-shaped aligning protrusion before the first sidewall and the second sidewall come into contact as the first and second structures are engaged in the engagement direction, and
- the T-shaped aligning protrusion includes a small-width portion and a large-width portion which is attached to the small-width portion, the large-width and small-width portions extending along the second sidewall and beyond the edge of the second sidewall in the engagement direction, the large-width portion being received in the receiving member so that the large-width portion restricts the second sidewall from separating from the receiving member in a direction perpendicular to the engagement direction when the first and second structures are engaged.
2. The junction box assembly of claim 1, wherein the T-shaped aligning protrusion extends beyond the edge of the second sidewall for a distance about equal to a height of the second sidewall.
3. The junction box assembly of claim 1, wherein the T-shaped aligning protrusion includes a chamfered edge extending from an upper surface of the T-shaped aligning protrusion to a side surface of the T-shaped aligning protrusion.
4. A vehicle comprising the junction box assembly of claim 1.
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- Junction Box Product.
Type: Grant
Filed: Feb 27, 2007
Date of Patent: Mar 3, 2009
Patent Publication Number: 20080203039
Assignee: Sumitomo Electrical Wiring Systems - Detroit Technical Center, Inc (Northville, MI)
Inventors: Emily A. Neville (Taylor, MI), Brian D. Carnick (New Baltimore, MI)
Primary Examiner: Truc T Nguyen
Attorney: Oliff & Berridge, PLC
Application Number: 11/710,971
International Classification: H01R 12/00 (20060101);